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Lightning Blitzed

July 21, 2007 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Stockton Lightning News Release


BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Chad Elliott threw for 300 passing yards and eight touchdowns while Nathan Munson had two interceptions and three touchdown catches to eliminate the Stockton Lightning from playoff contention in the American Conference, as the Lightning fell to the Bakersfield Blitz in a 50-30 loss at Rabobank Arena in week 17 of arenafootball2 play.

Munson earned U.S. Army Ironman of the game honors, adding six catches for 74 yards while Josh Powell earned Schutt Offensive Player of the Game honors with a 13-catch, 126-receiving yard effort. Sale' Key led all Lightning receivers with an eight-catch, 119-yard effort.

WR Sale Key' got the Lightning on the board with a 7-0 lead after back-to-back fumbles by both teams, as Key hauled in a 30- yard bomb over-the-middle by QB Evan Gray.

After WR Josh Powell's incredible one-handed, 35-yard touchdown grab to cut the Lightning lead to 7-6, FB Lyndell Hawkins responded with his first touchdown rush of the season, a blast off the left tackle to cap a 35-yard drive and put the Lightning up 14-6 after the first frame. .

Bakersfield's defense and WR/DB Nathan Munson's hands took over in the second quarter, capitalizing on two interceptions by Munson to assume a 25-14 lead at halftime. Powell connected on two consecutive seven and six yard passes, respectively, from QB Chad Elliott which preceded a 29-yard touchdown bomb to Munson with 13 seconds left in the half for the 11-point cushion.

The Lightning broke their drought with 10:50 left in the third quarter, when Gray found Key wide open at the right corner of the end-zone on a five-yard connection to cut Bakersfield's advantage to 25-21. Blitz WR Shack Okoebor hauled in a 28-yard bomb from Elliott with 6:44 left to stretch Bakersfield lead to 10 points, but kicker Alex Walls responded for Stockton with a 33-yard field goal - his first attempt since June 30 - to cut the Blitz advantage to 31-24 through three quarters.

Munson hauled in his second touchdown catch of the game with 13:46 left in the game - a 10-yard pass by Elliott to the left corner of the end-zone to hike the Blitz lead to 37-24 after a failed two-point conversion. The Lightning responded after a long connection from Gray to WR B'Jay Jones to set-up Gray's 11-yard missle to Key at the left corner of the endzone with 11:34 left, cutting Bakersfield's lead to 37-30 after Walls' blocked extra point kick.

Powell connected on his fourth touchdown reception on the game with 9:47 left while in red-zone territory, snaring a leaping grab in the right corner of the endzone, hiking the Bakersfield lead to 44-30.

After a turnover on downs by the Lightning, Bakersfield responded to hike the lead at 50-30 on Munson's third touchdown grab of the game - a 30-yard bomb down the left side from Elliott with 1:20 reamaining. Gray muscled a seven-yard touchdown pass to WR Clarence Cunningham with 47.8 seconds left for the final tally of the game.

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